Monday, May 30, 2011

DIY all natural cleaning products (these really work! )

I love saving money and all natural products so I wanted to share some great DIY all natural cleaning products you can make at home.  You will save money and keep those nasty chemicals out of your house.  All you need are a few basic household supplies and you probably already have most of them in your cupboards.  These are super easy to make so you can get started today.  At the end is my favorite recipe for cleaning fruits and veggies from pesticides.  Enjoy!
I just reused this spray bottle.
All purpose cleansers:
2 TBLS distilled white vinegar
1 tea White Borax (available at grocery stores in laundry aisle) 
16oz HOT filtered water
 1/4 cup liquid soap.
 Mix vinegar and borax in a clean 16oz spray bottle. Fill with water and shake until the borax has dissolved. Add the liquid soap, shake to mix again. USE: Simply spray and wipe.

or 
1/4 cup white vinegar
20 drops tea tree oil
1 tsp dish washing soap
hot water
Mix all the above in a spray bottle.  I just reused my simple green spray bottle.  Exercise caution when reusing other cleanser bottles.  



Dish washing liquid:
1/4 cup soap flakes
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup glycerin
1/2 teaspoon lemon essential oil


 In bowl combine soap flakes and water and stir until the soap is dissolved. Cool to luke warm.
Stir in the glycerin and the essential oil, leave to cool. As it cools it will form a loose gel. Stir with a fork and break up the gel and then pour into a narrow-necked bottle. An old shampoo bottle or left over dish washing soap bottle make excellent containers.To use, squirt 3 teaspoonfuls into hot running water.



Automatic dish washing soap:
1/2 cup liquid Castile soap
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 drops tea tree extract (or oil)
1/4 cup white vinegar
Baking Soda


Mix together all ingredients except the Baking soda. Store in squeeze bottle. Use 1 Tbsp. in the first cycle and 1 Tbsp. in the automatic soap dispenser for standard size dishwasher. Sprinkle a handful of baking soda over dirty dishes and in the bottom of your dishwasher to absorb odors and boost cleaning power at the start.


Disinfectant:

Mix 1/2 cup of borax powder with 1 gallon of hot water. Add a few drops of fragrant essential oil such as thyme, rosemary, or lavender. Store the mixture in a labeled spray bottle.


Kitchen Cleanser: 
 Baking Soda 
Lemon essential oil. 
Fill a plastic flip top or stainless steel shaker (like the kind you use for powdered sugar) halfway with baking soda. Add 15 to 20 drops of essential oil. Stir, add more baking soda until it reaches the top of the shaker. Secure the lid and shake to mix.  Just sprinkle on counters or in sinks sparingly, then wipe with a damp cloth or cellulose sponge. Rinse well. 


 Floor Cleanser:
 2 Cups Distilled White Vinegar
2 Cups Filtered Water
(optional) essential oil of your choice like lemon, or tea tree or lavender 
Fill a clean 16oz. squirt bottle with vinegar and water. Add 15 – 20 drops essential oil and mix.  Squirt on the floor and wipe with a clean rag or mop. This cleaner is suitable for finished wood, ceramic tile and vinyl.


Tub & Tile Cleaner :
 1 2/3 cups baking soda
 1/2 cup liquid soap,
1/2 cup filtered water 
 2 TBLS. distilled white vinegar
 Mix baking soda and liquid soap in a bowl. Dilute with water and add the vinegar. Mix with a fork until any lumps are gone and the mixture has a pourable consistency (you may need to add more water). Pour into a clean 16 oz squeeze container like a shampoo bottle.  Shake well before using; keep the lid tightly closed to prevent mixture from drying out.  Squirt on tub, tile, sink or toilet bowl an scrub. Rinse well. If any baking soda residue remains, rinse with a mix of vinegar and water and next time use a little less baking soda.


Furniture Polish: 
1 cup lemons juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
Mix lemon juice with olive oil and water.  Apply sparingly to furniture using a soft cloth. Let sit for a couple of minutes, then buff.


Glass Cleaner: 
 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
 1/2 cup liquid soap,
2 cups filtered water
essential oil (optional)
Mix soap and water in a clean 16oz spray bottle. Add vinegar and essential oil. Shake well.  Spray on windows and either squeegee off or wipe with a newsprint, coffee filter or microfiber cloth. Once you have cleaned your windows a couple of times, omit the soap (which removes the waxy residue left behind by conventional cleaner) and switch to 1/2 cup vinegar mixed with 2 cups of water.


Alternately use a good microfiber cloth that is slightly damp on mirrors or windows and NO CLEANSER then dry with microfiber cloth.  This is what I do and it works great for everyday use.


Fruit and vegetable wash:

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup baking soda

Pour the water, lemon juice, and baking soda into a spray bottle. Be careful, the lemon juice and baking soda will foam up. To use, spray on vegetables, and let sit for 5 minutes. Rinse the vegetables under cold, running water using a scrub brush.



To hide scratches in wood rub the meat of a walnut into the scratch till you don't see it anymore.


Use a slice of bread to wipe marks off wallpaper.


Copper pans and ceramic baking dishes can be scoured with salt.  


Photobucket





11 comments:

MaGoooo said...

Thank you for sharing your recipes for the home made cleaners!!!

www.apronsandapples@blogspot.com said...

My pleasure! Thanks for commenting it is always so encouraging to see others are getting something from it! Kristy

Cleaners London said...

Great post. These recipes are very useful. Cleaning with natural products is so much fun. I love to mix the ingredients and to watch them in action after that.

www.apronsandapples@blogspot.com said...

Glad you are enjoying them! Thanks for letting me know! I love comments! Kristy

dancilhoney said...

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Home Cleaning Products said...

Hi, I want to ask one thing I do not find lemon essential oil, so do I use lemon drops?

Unknown said...

can i store the veggie wash for use later?

Anonymous said...

I hope these products work.. I am trying hard to find right cleaning products for Bond Clean and I hope my search ends now

Anonymous said...

I have been searching for such an informative publication for many days, and it seems that my search here has just ended. Good job. Continue publishing.
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